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C-K officials recognize National Day of Mourning

Tori Labadie, left, Chatham-Kent 911Call Centre, and Chatham-Kent Special Const. Danya Lunn, who is also District Four health and safety representative, were among several dozen people marking the National Day of Mourning at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre Monday, April 28, 2014 in Chatham, On. Diana Martin/Chatham Daily News/QMI Agency

A moment of silence curtailed the usual bustle of business at the front counter of the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre Monday morning.

Elected officials, municipal staff and union dignitaries assembled to recognize the National Day of Mourning — a time taken across the country to remember lives cut short in the workplace and to resolve to prevent future tragedies.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says the numbers really tell the story.

According to the CCOHS, there were 977 workplace deaths recorded in Canada in 2012.

That averages more than two deaths a day and the number is an increase from 919 workplace tragedies in 2011.

In the 20-year span from 1993 to 2012, just over 18,000 people lost their lives due to work-related causes across the nation.

Fortunately those assembled in Chatham-Kent didn't speak of any local tragedies and when asked by The Chatham Daily News, couldn't give specifics of historic events.

An archival search of recent stories uncovered a tragic on-the-job death in 1999 of a 19-year-old working at a Tilbury factory, which led to charges and fines levied against the employer.

Denise Lidster, manager of occupational safety for Chatham-Kent, said a safe working environment starts with the employee.

Chatham-Kent has about 2,200 people performing part and full-time duties across the municipality.

Lidster said an array of in-class workshops and e-learning lessons are used to ensure they receive appropriate safety training.

While no workplace deaths have been recorded locally in recent years, the municipality documented:

· 141 injuries and 50 recurrences in 2013;

· 133 injuries and 49 recurrences in 2012;

· 121 injuries and 34 recurrences in 2011.

Long-term care workers ranked the highest in being injured on the job.

Lidster attributed "unpredictability in the environment" as one reason the numbers of injuries are higher in the segment of employees working with seniors.

Don Shropshire, CAO of Chatham-Kent, spoke of employees supporting each other in times of sorrow and the need to take that next step to make sure everyone "is well mentally and physically" when they leave for home.

Dan Drouillard, bargaining unit president of the Ontario Nurses Association, told The Daily News, "education making workers aware safety practices are in place for a reason" is a good start.

Drouillard said the National Day of Mourning is a time to reflect on those who have lost their lives in the workplace and their families, as well as a celebration of how far we've come to limit deaths and injuries on the job.